As part of their regular assessment and review of the ground situation and handling of Covid-19 cases in nine states with high active caseload, the Cabinet Secretary on Friday (July 24) directing the state governments to urgently ramp up testing, strictly enforce containment plan, boost health infrastructure and ensure effective clinical management.

The nine states identified with high Covid-19 active caseload include Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, and Assam. These states largely located in the Eastern and Southern part of the nation have witnessed a high surge in a daily number of active cases and are emerging as the hot spots from COVID management standpoint.

The review meeting held, under the chairmanship of Cabinet Secretary, as part of Centre-state coordinated strategy for effective containment and management of the COVID-19 pandemic, was attended on virtual mode by the Chief Secretaries and Health Secretaries of the nine states that have been privy to an alarming wave of fresh cases in the nation.

Cabinet Secretary had a detailed review of the state-specific COVID response strategy from the Health Secretaries and other State officials. He also got a feedback on the factors that were instrumental in triggering off the alarming rise of cases in these states in recent times.

These states were given directions to ramp up the testing, especially in containment zones. Areas of concern with respect to low testing in certain states were also highlighted in the meeting.

The central government directed the states that sustained and aggressive testing is crucial for early identification of cases and to prevent the spread of infection.